🇯🇵 Japan | Japan Rail Pass

I will be headed to Japan in the end of July, and I want to buy a rail pass. Does anyone know of a travel agency or place you can buy the rail passes for Japan?

You can buy them at the train station.

I thought the Japan Rail Pass had to be bought outside the country, then exchanged at the train station in Japan.

Probably most any agency here can help. I get good information usually from Partake Travel.

Or, you can check: japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html

Where is Partake travel?

Where is Partake travel? I know they have to be bought outside of Japan. I’ve tried two different agencies in Taipei, no luck.

The site Craig provided the link to has a list of agents, at least some of whom should be able to help. Lots of listings in Taiwan.

The rail pass is JR pass?

JR = Japan Rail

That is not accurate. You can buy them at small and large JR stations.

I am also planning a trip to Japan and my agent told me that yes, the Japan rail pass can be obtained in Taiwan. However, when you are hoing to use it, you have to exchange it at the train station for another -I guess seat asignment- ticket.

Furthermore, when you buy it, you must specify which zone you are going to travel in. If you want the general Japan one, it is a bit expensive. However, if you get say, just the Tokyo zone, it is much more economical. It’s the same, let’s say, if you are going to Hokkaido, or Yokohama.

To the OP: I can give you my agent’s data, if you wish. Her office is conveniently located close to Zhongshan MRT station.

Plan the trip well icon. If you can get by with a city subway pass which includes buses instead of the general JR pass, it will save you a buttload of money. That too can be purchased at a JR station.

Additionally, the price of a pass bought here and one bought there are basically the same, and you STILL have to go to the station there and get the actual pass.

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I have read and re-read the JR website, and unless I am not understanding it, the rail pass has to be bought outside Japan, not in the country and at JR stations.

I have used JR passes many, many times. They MUST be bought outside Japan. When you enter Japan, you take the JRP voucher to a MAJOR train station (which are listed in the literature you receive with your voucher, and also on the JR website), including the stations at NRT and KIX, and the JR staff convert your voucher into a JR Pass.

The JR companies (JR East, JR West, etc.) all have lesser passes good only on their track, but if your travel is within their district, their passes are much cheaper than the “national” pass.

You can have the JR Pass validity commence on any day you select, IOW, if you’re visiting friends for a week and not traveling, start your JR Pass validity on the first day of major travel.

i checked the website for agents that sell it in taiwan but when i google the addresses, they dont show up. anyone have a good agent i can get it from? do they differ from agent to agent? do they give deals? thanks!

For anyone searching for info on the JR rail pass nowadays, here’s a good listing of places you can buy in SE asia: http://www.japanrailpass.net/area_01.html (although the Taipei location moved across the street; just use google).

Rules have changed recently; seems like you could buy in select places in Japan, but you’ll pay more. Also, agents do charge different rates. You can buy same-day in Taipei for example from the JTB Taiwan office near Shuanglian Station, but e.g. for a 14 day rail pass, their markup is 864NT more than Klook. The one upside for this office is very quick turnaround, < 10 min if they aren’t busy. Not sure if other tourist agents in Taipei can print the vouchers that quickly, but would love to know, as that’s a big price difference!

There are also specific city metro passes (much cheaper than a rail pass). Useful when you know that you’ll only stay in a city.

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USD 30 most probably.

Yup yup, my bad, I have updated to NTD!

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I’ve purchased from Lion Travel in Tianmu before. No problems even with limited Chinese. Though they do offer English service (depends on if the person who speaks English is on shift though)

http://en.liontravel.com/JRPass.aspx

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